Soccer: PAOK wins the Greek Cup final

With goals from Portuguese winger Vieirinha (65m) and Dimitris Pelkas (91m), PAOK defeated AEK 2-0 in the Greek Cup final this Saturday, a match marked by violence and controversy.

This is PAOK's second consecutive cup win, and it also prevents AEK, the winner of the league, from achieving the double for the first time since 1978.

PAOK could have had a larger lead, as AEK goalkeeper Vasilios Barkas saved a penalty kick from Serbian forward Aleksandar Prijovic in the first half.

The penalty kick was awarded by the referee of the match, Spanish David Fernández Borbalán, who was chosen for the game due to the inability of both teams to agree on appointing a referee for the final.

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Fans of both teams clashed in the surroundings of the Olympic Stadium in Athens before the final, and there were also altercations in the stands during the match.

AEK ultras threw a Molotov cocktail at a van where five PAOK fans were traveling, very close to the stadium.

The Greek press reported that PAOK fans were also assaulted and two of them had to be taken to a hospital.

The Greek government had deployed 5,000 police officers to try to prevent acts of violence, which have once again tarnished the country's football this season.

Fights between fans already started on Friday night, and two PAOK fans were injured by a stabbing, according to the press in that country.

Violence has once again marked the season in Greek football. In March, PAOK President Ivan Savvidis jumped onto the pitch with a gun in his waistband to protest against a referee's decision in a match against AEK.

As a result, PAOK had three points deducted in the league table, which benefited AEK to win the title.

In February, Olympiakos' then coach, Spanish Óscar García, was injured by an object thrown by a PAOK fan.

These acts of violence were accompanied by strikes due to unpaid wages, a two-week suspension of the Superleague imposed by the government, and a threat of expulsion from FIFA. (D)